Kratom Advocacy and the CDC’s 2020 Pain Comment Period
Posted by Laughing Lion Herbs on 29th Oct 2020
The original campaign described here is in the past. Check a current official notice and its deadline before submitting comments or contacting officials about a specific proposal.
In 2020, we encouraged readers interested in kratom policy to share their perspectives during a CDC public-comment opportunity concerning pain and pain management. The opportunity was broader than kratom and did not amount to a CDC endorsement of it.
What the CDC Asked For
The CDC invited experiences from patients, caregivers and health care providers about pain-management choices, including benefits, harms and access. Its 2022 guideline publication records that the 2020 comment period ran from April 17 through June 16.
That deadline has passed. This page is not a request to submit to that closed comment period. Public input can inform policy without proving that a particular botanical is an effective treatment.
How to Participate in a Future Consultation
Find the agency’s official notice, confirm the docket and deadline, and read the questions being asked. Use Regulations.gov when the notice directs submissions there. Keep your response relevant to the subject rather than treating any pain-related consultation as an invitation to promote a product.
Share a Clear, Respectful Account
- Explain your own experience and its context without speaking for everyone.
- Include unwanted effects and uncertainties as well as perceived benefits.
- Identify research accurately and avoid presenting testimonials as clinical proof.
- Read the submission’s privacy terms before including personal medical information or another person’s details.
Respectful participation can communicate a consumer’s perspective without assuming an agency has already agreed with it.
Personal Experience and Research
A personal account can explain why a policy matters to you. It cannot establish that kratom treats a condition, replaces prescribed care or is safe for everyone. Share both positive and negative experiences honestly, and distinguish published research from interpretation. Our kratom research guide provides study details and limitations.
We support clear labeling, transparent testing, responsible manufacturing and continued research. Read our GMP guide to understand what manufacturing programs do and do not establish.